Factors that make highly qualified people choose freelance careers over one-off gigs

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

A recent report from work-as-a-service platform Awign decodes this trend with some data from the ground. These numbers are based on observed data and so may not be representative of the broader population. But these can still provide some trends to employers on the type of such freelance roles that organisations are looking for. For jobseekers, it can give some insights into where qualified people can find opportunities. Using data from ASSOCHAM, the report says: “India had 15 million independent workers or freelancers in 2020, with industries like IT, finance, HR and design hiring people on a project basis. Notably, the number of tech companies onboarding independent workers has seen an uptick. A November 2022 survey by NASSCOM, Indeed and AON found that the share of Indian tech companies hiring gig workers rose to 65 per cent in 2022 compared to 57 per cent in 2020.” Indeed, the overall demand for gig work has gone up after the pandemic. But one of the more intriguing results the data shows is an increased demand for people with graduate degrees.

IT sector driving demand for high-skilled gig workers: Survey

The second interesting trend is that given the increased connectivity in work, much of this demand is emerging from smaller towns and cities. Data from Awign reveals that there is 65.4% and 80.4% growth in the number of gig workers in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, respectively, between FY21 and FY22. With attrition among women employees also a challenge for some companies, can remote and qualified freelance work be an attractive work option for some educated women? Again, the Awign data shows that there is a significant increase in the participation of women in the gig workforce — an 187% rise in